1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to container processing machines and more specifically to a device to tip containers from a vertical position to a horizontal position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the processing of containers, for example food containers, such containers are typically transported between various processing machines by conveyors. Different processing machines may require the containers to be at a different orientation, e.g. horizontal or vertical, to be processed. A device for turning a container from vertical to horizontal is called an tipping device.
Prior art tipping devices included a drum having a plurality of plastic fingers extending therefrom. The fingers were typically arranged in rows which extended in an axial direction along the surface of the drum. The rows were spaced evenly around the circumference of the drum. The individual fingers extended radially outwardly from the outer surface of the drum. A lower conveyor fed containers in a vertical orientation to a location next to the drum. Chutes were used to align the containers with the fingers. The bottom surface of the chute would have a slot sized to allow a finger to pass therethrough. As the drum rotated, the fingers would come from below the containers, pass through the slot, and lift the container. At the top of the drum, the containers were in a horizontal orientation. At this point the containers were transferred to a take-away conveyor.
The take-away conveyor consisted of conveyor belts formed of long concave trays, or carrier trays. The trays were structured to have a plurality of containers lay horizontally within each carrier tray. Like the chutes that fed the tipping device, each carrier tray had a slot that allowed the finger to pass therethrough. The conveyor belt moved intermittently in a direction parallel to the axis of the tipping device drum, that is, perpendicular to the direction of travel of the fingers. The intermittent movement of the conveyor and the rotation of the drum was timed so that while the conveyor is being advanced the drum fingers are not within the plane of the carrier trays. For each intermittent advance of the conveyor, one container was delivered by the tipping device to each carrier tray. Therefore, when the carrier trays form a conveyor with each tray filled with a plurality of containers, for each intermittent movement of the conveyor, each carrier tray received one container from the tipping device.
As such, timing of the advancement of the conveyor belt with the rotation of the drum was critical as the finger must pass through the slot while the conveyor belt was paused. If the belt was not positioned to allow a finger to pass through the slot, the finger would collide with the carrier tray damaging the finger. Alternately, if the finger was within the slot as the belt advances, the belt would contact the finger resulting in damage.
In addition to the possibility of damage to the carrier tray and/or drum fingers, the prior art tipping device had different sized fingers which corresponded to a certain size of container. Thus, the tipping device could not be used with different sized containers in a single batch. Replacing the fingers with fingers of a different size was a time consuming process.
Therefore, there is a need for a tipping device that is not subject to damage from a take-away conveyor.
There is also a need for a tipping device that will not damage the take-away conveyor.
The above described needs, and others, have been met by the present invention. The present invention provides for an tipping device having a transfer assembly, a lifting means, and a striker assembly. The transfer assembly has two members each with a generally convex arcuate portion and an elongated, generally horizontal portion. The members are spaced apart by about one to two inches. The inner surfaces of the members may be flared about 45 degrees. The lower end of the generally convex portions are located at the end of a transport means, which is typically a conveyor belt. The lower ends of the generally convex portions are angled about 25 to 40 degrees from vertical. The generally convex portion arches upwardly and curves until the surface is generally horizontal. The horizontal portion of the transfer member is integral to, and extends from, the horizontal end of the generally convex portion.
The tipping device further includes a lifting means which is, preferably, a rotatable disk having lifter member extending therefrom. The lifter members are preferably rubber finger-like extensions. The disk is positioned so that the fingers extend through the gap between the transfer assembly members, adjacent to the end of the first transfer means. The curvature of the outer surface of the disk is generally the same as the curvature of the convex surface. Thus, the fingers extend through the gap between the convex members throughout the length of the generally convex portion of the transfer members. The fingers do not extend through the gap between the transfer assembly members along the horizontal portion.
The tipping device further includes a striker assembly having a rotatable member and striker members. Preferably, the rotatable member has two ends and a central pivot. A striker member is located on each end. The rotatable member is mounted on a rotating shaft and disposed above the horizontal portion of the transfer assembly members. The striker members are preferably made from a soft, resilient material such as rubber.
The tipping device works in conjunction with a first transport means which delivers vertical containers to the transfer members and a second transport means which carries away the horizontal vertical containers.
In operation, the first transport means feeds a vertically oriented container into the gap between transfer assembly members. Where the first transfer means is an endless belt conveyor and the transfer assembly is located adjacent to one end of the conveyor, gravity will pull the container downward over the edge of the conveyor where it will be supported by the transfer members. When the container is in place at the lower ends of the transfer members, the rotatable disk is rotated bringing a finger-like member up from below the container, lifting the container along the generally convex portion. The surface or the generally convex portion causes the orientation of the container to change from vertical to horizontal. As the container slides along the horizontal portion of the transfer members, the finger on the rotating disk is drawn below the transfer members. At this point, the striker assembly is actuated, causing the rotatable member to rotate a striker member into contact with the bottom of the container. The force imparted by the striker member causes the container to slide along the horizontal member into the second transport means. Preferably, the second transport means includes a carrier tray conveyor. The tipping device may be structured to work intermittently. Because the tipping device operates without the use of fingers that pass through the carrier tray, the tipping device is not subject to damage therefrom.
It is an object of this invention to provide a tipping device that reduces damage from the take-away conveyor.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a tipping device which is compatible with existing feeder devices.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a tipping device having a transfer member with a generally convex portion and an elongated, generally horizontal portion.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a tipping device having a rotating disk with fingers extending therefrom, where the fingers are structured to extend through the transfer member generally convex portion, but not through the entire elongated, generally horizontal portion.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a tipping device having a striker assembly.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a tipping device where the striker assembly contacts the containers on the generally horizontal portion of the transfer member and causes the containers to travel to the take-away conveyor.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an assembly line having a tipping device with a transfer member with a generally convex portion and an elongated, generally horizontal portion.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of tipping containers from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of tipping containers using a transfer member having a generally convex portion and an elongated generally horizontal portion.
These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention in reference to the illustrations appended hereto.